Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/243

The fashion's all for khaki now,
 But once through France we went
Full-dressed in scarlet Army cloth,
 The English—left at Ghent.
They're fighting on our side to-day
 But, before they changed their clothes,
The half of Europe knew our fame,
 As all of Ireland knows!
  Old Days! The wild geese are flying,
   Head to the storm as they faced it before!
  For where there are Irish there's memory undying,
   And when we forget, it is Ireland no more!
Ireland no more!

From Barry Wood to Gouzeaucourt,
 From Boyne to Pilkem Ridge,
The ancient days come back no more
 Than water under the bridge.
But the bridge it stands and the water runs
 As red as yesterday,
And the Irish move to the sound of the guns
 Like salmon to the sea.
  Old Days! The wild geese are ranging,

   Head to the storm as they faced it before!

  For where there are Irish their hearts are unchanging,
   And when they are changed, it is Ireland no more!
Ireland no more!

We're not so old in the Army List,
 But we're not so new in the ring,
For we carried our packs with Marshal Saxe
 When Louis was our King.
But Douglas Haig's our Marshal now
 And we're King George's men,